A judge today issued a warrant for the arrest of a Tenby woman accused of stealing more than £5,000 from the town’s Cancer Research UK charity shop.
Lorraine Kucuk, aged 42, had been listed at Swansea crown court today for a plea hearing but also a sentencing excercise.
But just 30 minutes before the hearing her defence team received a text message from her saying she was in Turkey.
Kucuk, of Upper Frog Street, claimed to have been involved in a road accident and was currently unable to fly back to Wales.
Judge Geraint Walters said he was surprised to hear she was in Turkey in the first place.
Judge Walters said without any further information about the accident or her injuries he did not believe her response to be adequate.
He issued an arrest warrant not backed with bail and Kucuk will be held in custody once apprehended.
Kucuk, once a manager of the branch, is accused of stealing £5,238 from the charity between April 14 and May 7, 2014.
The next hearing will be listed once she has been traced.